tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post9043126983948575184..comments2016-12-09T10:27:31.689-05:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: ACPT 2008 - Part II, "It Really Begins..." (SPOILERS)Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-74565645442849570372008-03-12T02:22:00.000-04:002008-03-12T02:22:00.000-04:00I don't understand why IHOP would be considered a ...I don't understand why IHOP would be considered a bad place to go for breakfast. We have one in our neighborhood (Jackson Heights, Queens, the birthplace of Scrabble)and go there all the time. It's not like NYC is world-famous for its breakfasts. I can think of 3 NY breakfast things: Bagels/bialys with various fixings, lox and eggs, and matzoh brie. But if you just want an omelet with some hash browns why wouldn't you go to IHOP. It is a place to get delicious food and I think all restaurants should serve a side of pancakes with their entrees.ryanfacestheworldcrosswords.ryanfacestheworld.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80459095966102162222008-03-11T00:40:00.000-04:002008-03-11T00:40:00.000-04:00I have to tell all of you I don't ever mouth off l...I have to tell all of you I don't ever mouth off like this, but I guess I feel very protective of poor sick Rex.... Did I spell mouth properly or do I need some esl?macnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54140523139981528742008-03-11T00:27:00.000-04:002008-03-11T00:27:00.000-04:00@6.43anon, do you have any idea who you are talkin...@6.43anon, do you have any idea who you are talking about, you anonymous cowardly you who can't even spell! Get a life and a name and stop badgering your betters!macnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-51688346069700127842008-03-10T23:57:00.000-04:002008-03-10T23:57:00.000-04:00You don't use the OCARINA to ring a bell; you blo...You don't use the OCARINA to ring a bell; you blow in it. I had the instrument, but had to guess on the bird. And blame late night television, I swear I've seen a ROLEO event before. I'm happy I figured Port Dover in puzzle 5, not Fort Dover.<BR/><BR/>Nice picture of Andrea; I voted for her too.<BR/><BR/>I remember sitting in the lounge, watching some Scrabble-like tile game, and watching Trip Payne (nicely) slaughtering the other players.Karennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55425256307205524922008-03-10T21:21:00.000-04:002008-03-10T21:21:00.000-04:00Thank you Barrywep. Poor Rex is still on the couch...Thank you Barrywep. Poor Rex is still on the couch coughing and hacking, so it falls to me to defend the family honor. The dog went to stay with our friend Dondie. The dog *loves* Dondie.Sandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-29010692714184505052008-03-10T18:08:00.000-04:002008-03-10T18:08:00.000-04:00Sandy: You are no LOOSER. I love the way you defe...Sandy:<BR/> You are no LOOSER. I love the way you defend Rex.Who watched the dog when you guys were in Brooklyn?barrywephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025848655112601237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-12714055810527347192008-03-10T14:42:00.000-04:002008-03-10T14:42:00.000-04:00Say what you will about the suitability of IHOP as...Say what you will about the suitability of IHOP as a Brooklyn breakfast venue—it makes a helluva lot more sense than shelling out $20 to break fast in the hotel restaurant. Plus: It's hard to find corn cakes outside of IHOP, and they are nummy indeed.Orangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72833572126060861452008-03-10T14:05:00.000-04:002008-03-10T14:05:00.000-04:00i too used to be impressed. now im just perpetuall...i too used to be impressed. now im just perpetually blushing.emjowww.emilyjocureton.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-61884924232709298042008-03-10T10:31:00.000-04:002008-03-10T10:31:00.000-04:00About the IHOP thing, if you've been reading along...About the IHOP thing, if you've been reading along for the past year or so, you'll know that IHOP is a recurring Rex Parker theme, so we didn't just go there for lack of imagination. Yes, we do know that going to a chain restaurant in NYC is for loosers [sic], but it was also quite a lot of fun.Sandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09592664022628616726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81761533423306317952008-03-10T08:31:00.000-04:002008-03-10T08:31:00.000-04:00I guess if you read Patrick O'Brien books you migh...<A HREF="url" REL="nofollow">I guess if you read Patrick O'Brien books you might know a kedge is a kind of anchor, but in a million years I wouldn't have put "Keds" and "sludge" together to answer the "kedge" pun clue. You're a better man than I.</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-55281385507268113562008-03-10T07:57:00.000-04:002008-03-10T07:57:00.000-04:00IHOP i n NYC is not a place to go for breakfastIHOP i n NYC is not a place to go for breakfastBeatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09735954150325912750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26007647376765395612008-03-10T06:43:00.000-04:002008-03-10T06:43:00.000-04:00rex, i used to impressed.... now i think u r a loo...rex, i used to impressed.... now i think u r a looserAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-64902794620308186552008-03-10T01:44:00.000-04:002008-03-10T01:44:00.000-04:00MacThanks for the encouragement. I'm building up m...Mac<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the encouragement. I'm building up my courage... Might take a year or two.. But the attendees make it seem like a very warm and happy event.foodienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77546758035049664902008-03-10T01:02:00.000-04:002008-03-10T01:02:00.000-04:00Rex - Great commentary, look forward to Puzzles 4 ...Rex - Great commentary, look forward to Puzzles 4 - 7, especially 5!<BR/><BR/>[Repeat of a post from the Orange blog]:<BR/><BR/>Great way to relive the tournament.<BR/><BR/>For every tricky crossing, the judges had their moments - for example, in Mike Shenk's ladder puzzle, we saw "Seduced By", "Seedy Buns", "Seedy Boys", etc. Many of the puzzlers sent private messages about the previous puzzle - like "You got me, Kahn!", and "Still don't get the last theme".<BR/><BR/>Just one comment on the great weekend - apart from the bar at the Marriott where you could move from one group of cruciverbalists to another, there were several games breaking out in the hallways.<BR/><BR/>One of them was a guessing game/charade combination called "Pass the chicken" and the most groan-inducing person to clue: Delroy Lindo. This crossing was clearly etched in the minds of the solvers!<BR/><BR/>It's not just the puzzles and the tournament, but the camaraderie and interactions that take place in the bar and hallways that make the event worth attending. Before the tournament, I could not imagine hanging out with Amy Goldstein (whose book I have gifted to every kid in the family), her wonderful son Evan, Leslie Billig, Peter Gordon, Will Johnston, and a host of others playing "Pass the chicken". Or, playing another guessing game with Merl Reagle in the crowd, trying to crack his clue "Its in his kiss" (for chocolate). <BR/><BR/>But now, after meeting all the participants, it just seems so normal for this all-inclusive crowd.<BR/><BR/>AshishAshishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07795340199306866533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23953783064967862062008-03-09T22:47:00.000-04:002008-03-09T22:47:00.000-04:00You should not go to IHOP in New York City. It's a...You should not go to IHOP in New York City. It's akin to ordering Dominos if you want pizza. There are many better places for breakfast.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17734504330104523592008-03-09T22:40:00.000-04:002008-03-09T22:40:00.000-04:00@foodie, why don't you come to Brooklyn next year ...@foodie, why don't you come to Brooklyn next year and meet them?macnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-11762773614671254342008-03-09T22:30:00.000-04:002008-03-09T22:30:00.000-04:00Phillysolver, looking at the photo, you look exact...Phillysolver, looking at the photo, you look exactly like I thought you might based on your comments in this blog. Something very comforting about that : )<BR/><BR/>I have mental images for each of the frequent contributors, probably most of them way off...foodienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-72736086875755539472008-03-09T21:25:00.000-04:002008-03-09T21:25:00.000-04:00Merl Reagle has a neatly twisted puzzle in the Phi...Merl Reagle has a neatly twisted puzzle in the Philly paper today...ArtLvrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37074874858123070182008-03-09T20:40:00.000-04:002008-03-09T20:40:00.000-04:00I see I wasn't the only one who chose incorrectly ...I see I wasn't the only one who chose incorrectly between MAZELTOV/VIER and MAZELTOF/FIER.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07231851506989682253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-71755024703933118182008-03-09T20:20:00.000-04:002008-03-09T20:20:00.000-04:00John: Puzzle 1 was a disaster for me too. I put i...John:<BR/> Puzzle 1 was a disaster for me too. <BR/><BR/>I put in NEEP for NEAP and finished with a few seconds left in the minute and never checked the crossings.<BR/><BR/>Rex:<BR/> I enjoyed your writeup almost as much as your wife's. Yours was funnier but hers had real charm and captured the gestalt of the event. Judge Vic is a good guy and a GREAT storyteller. Do you need to clarify that "Judge" is his day job as opposed to Phillysolver who was only a judge for the day (two actually). <BR/><BR/>Sorry I didn't get to hang out with you and the charming Sandy. What is it you two do for New Zealand?barrywephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025848655112601237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53161281189934147222008-03-09T19:16:00.000-04:002008-03-09T19:16:00.000-04:00I had a disaster on puzzle 1 this year. I actually...I had a disaster on puzzle 1 this year. I actually had the whole grid perfect in under 5 minutes, and had quite a few seconds on the clock, so I decided to check my work. Like Rex, I wasn't very happy with VIER (I love languages, but know very little of any of them), but it was the crossing with MAZELTOV that had me unsure. I had put the V in at first, but I second guessed myself and stupidly erased it and changed it to an F. Aaaargggghh! Goodbye, 195 points. I sure kicked myself for that one.<BR/><BR/>I'd forgotten about the ADVALOREM/ROLEO corner in puzzle 2 - luckily I guessed that one correctly. That was the puzzle I voted for as my favorite. I thought the word ladder was very clever.<BR/><BR/>Puzzle 3 was my bane this year though. I had probably 99% of it finished with 15 minutes left on the clock, everything done except the top left corner. Then, nothing. I had APEX at 16A (clued as 'Tip-top'.) It didn't seem to work, but I couldn't think of what else could go in there. I stared and stared at it, feeling total despair start to sink in as the minutes ticked away. I had thought of OCARINA, but I couldn't see how to make it fit. The C would fit with ACME, but that M was obviously wrong. What else? AONE? That also wasn't panning out. The clue that just *killed* me though (and how I finally got in, 10 minutes later), was 'Gone fishing, perhaps' for ASEA at 4 down. I could not believe it took me that long to come up with the answer. Then that S made ACES come to me. In retrospect I think that that 16A clue was too hard for this puzzle - come to think of it, this whole corner was too hard! Kind of like yesterday's NYT puzzle - it felt to me that that one section was unbalanced with the rest of the grid. Anyway... at that point I had enough to give me ARRAU for the pianist (never heard the name before), correctly. So, after frittering away 10 or 12 minutes just to fix up those 6 letters, I finally turned in the puzzle with 2 minutes left on the clock, thinking it was ok. *AFTER ALL THAT* it turns out that in my haste I had made a mistake earlier - HANGBACK instead of HUNGBACK at 68 down. It was one of those situations where you read the clue, think 'not sure yet, but I'll get it later', fill in a lot of stuff around it, see a letter combination that fits, and then think 'yeah, that's what that clue was getting at' without double checking it. Damn! The tense in the clue was perfectly clear, it was my own fault. Bye bye, 195 points. (And about 250 bonus points for not seeing @#$!@ ASEA earlier!!! ASEA, for goodness sake - it's only in about every other puzzle I do!) That rascally Merl gets me again.<BR/><BR/>Come to think of it, I had mistakes in more puzzles this year than I did last year, but was still able to improve my ranking from 402 last time to 228 this time. I think what did it for me was puzzle 5, where I had quite a good show relative to a lot of the competitors.<BR/><BR/>Well, thanks for giving me a place to vent. :) I didn't mean to sound so negative here. It's not like I had a bad time at the tournament; that simply couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, just like the first time I went, it was such a blast that I already can't wait for next year! To any of you who have been wavering about whether or not to come -- DO IT! I just wish I'd started attending years earlier!John Reidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-33221615771050004052008-03-09T19:12:00.000-04:002008-03-09T19:12:00.000-04:00While I enjoy all of the memories that made up the...While I enjoy all of the memories that made up the weekend, I do hope that others reading your excellent write up are inspired to attend next year. We all promise to make you feel welcome and provide you with your own memories and the opportunities to write about the good times. I look forward to your next installment.<BR/><BR/>I hope you feel better soon.PhillySolverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06896753042626337920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-87832702622726709322008-03-09T16:56:00.000-04:002008-03-09T16:56:00.000-04:00First, I must state for the record that it was awe...First, I must state for the record that it was awesome to meet you and your lovely wife!<BR/><BR/>My favorite thing about Rex (switching to third person here) is his "California accent" - a laid-back cadence that reminded me of the old San Francisco homestead. It's so different somehow from the "Rex Parker" voice... if that makes sense. Sandy has a hot accent too, but you all knew that.<BR/><BR/>I found <A HREF="http://www.crosswordtournament.com/2008/photos/don2/donc108.htm" REL="nofollow">this great photo</A> of me from the offical tournament photographer. It was Puzzle 1 - I finished in under 4 minutes and took a few seconds to check it over. When the clock read 11:05, I raised my hand, and boom! Two dozen arms shoot up simultaneously in front of me (I was in the back row). Judges scurried everywhere, but nobody was coming to collect my paper! I frantically waved it around until Byron Walden spotted me - the photo captures his "oh crap!" expression, with the clock at 10:56 in the background. Fortunately Byron knew the score (as it were), and as he approached he mouthed "Eleven?" to which I nodded gratefully. Thanks, Byron!<BR/><BR/>Andrea Carla Michaels is indeed the coolest. I voted for her too. Oh and Rex, please make sure to post a clear shot of your "I am Rex Parker" T-shirt!Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11209543514266918480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2310592171022480492008-03-09T16:50:00.000-04:002008-03-09T16:50:00.000-04:00Actually the digital timers have only been around ...Actually the digital timers have only been around since 2004. You can see one of the original analog timers way in the back here: http://www.crosswordtournament.com/2003/photos/christensen/saturday/cristen-R5-026-11A.htmjoecabhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16862252671814767307noreply@blogger.com